There was the time, the 50s and the 60s, with warrior youths who knew what they wanted: freedom! Within the mass of demos in which were (primarily) individuals, there were famous philosophers like Sartre and Russell among them. Russell has participated in these marches for rights and freedom, even in his aged years. I remember how I was surprised when I saw this older adult with his silvery-white hair marching in the first row along with many young people. I watched it on the TV; It was such an extra evet that the Persian Shah regime couldn’t censor this.

What years they were, those years. I am sure some of the friends here from my generation know what I am talking about; The years of excitement, innocent, and courage.

Here is about Liberalism, in which Russell found a solution to avoid chaos. That was a good idea, but that was! Those days after WWII, people were tired of war and looking for answers to social problems, tried many different ways. But these ways became extreme. It is always conceivable that the morale of social breakdown after any war. We can see and read in human history that the idea of Liberalism was the best way to achieve the goal. But now, it has become a way for political lobbyism, abusage and jobbery by all political parties. Gerhard Schröder’s calm hand with his politics of the middle! He is a member of SPD (Social Democratic Party) and was Chancellor of Germany for a while. The SPD was once an actual “social democratic” party, but after Schroder won the election in 1998, he had changed many social agendas of the party and had followed the idea of Liberalism; he called it “the politic of the middle” and enjoyed lobbyism until now that he is one of best friends Putin’s! I want to say that the pure ideas, either ultras or decent ones like Liberalism, are now all mixed up (as I see in the world politic, especially in Germany). It is a pity to see how they all wasted and trashed in a world of money-makers.

Now back to this great thinker; he had ten, not “commands” for sure, but suggestions, to free the minds and use the thoughts for a better world:

Bertrand Russell’s Ten Commandments for Living in a Healthy Democracy

Image by J. F. Horrabin, via Wikimedia Commons

Bertrand Russell saw the history of civilization as being shaped by an unfortunate oscillation between two opposing evils: tyranny and anarchy, each of which contains the seed of the other. Russell maintained that the best course for steering clear of either one is Liberalism.

“The doctrine of liberalism is an attempt to escape from this endless oscillation,” writes Russell in A History of Western Philosophy. “The essence of liberalism is an attempt to secure a social order not based on irrational dogma [a feature of tyranny], and insuring stability [which anarchy undermines] without involving more restraints than are necessary for the preservation of the community.”

In 1951 Russell published an article in The New York Times Magazine, “The Best Answer to Fanaticism–Liberalism,” with the subtitle: “Its calm search for truth, viewed as dangerous in many places, remains the hope of humanity.” In the article, Russell writes that “Liberalism is not so much a creed as a disposition. It is, indeed, opposed to creeds.” He continues:

But the liberal attitude does not say that you should oppose authority. It says only that you should be free to oppose authority, which is quite a different thing. The essence of the liberal outlook in the intellectual sphere is a belief that unbiased discussion is useful and that men should be free to question anything if they can support their questioning with solid arguments. The opposite view, maintained by those who cannot be called liberals, is that the truth is already known and that questioning it is necessarily subversive.

Russell criticizes the radicals who would advocate change at any cost. Echoing the philosopher John Locke, who had a profound influence on the authors of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, Russell writes:

The teacher who urges doctrines subversive to existing authority does not, if he is a liberal, advocate the establishment of a new authority even more tyrannical than the old. He advocates certain limits to the exercise of authority, and he wishes these limits to be observed not only when the authority would support a creed with which he disagrees but also when it would support one with which he is in complete agreement. I am, for my part, a believer in democracy, but I do not like a regime that makes belief in democracy compulsory.

Russell concludes the New York Times piece by offering a “new decalogue” with advice on how to live one’s life in the spirit of Liberalism. “The Ten Commandments that, as a teacher, I should wish to promulgate, might be set forth as follows,” he says:

1: Do not feel absolutely certain of anything.

2: Do not think it worthwhile to produce belief by concealing evidence, for the evidence is sure to come to light.

3: Never try to discourage thinking, for you are sure to succeed.

4: When you meet with opposition, even if it should be from your husband or your children, endeavour to overcome it by argument and not by authority, for a victory dependent upon authority is unreal and illusory.

5: Have no respect for the authority of others, for there are always contrary authorities to be found.

6: Do not use power to suppress opinions you think pernicious, for if you do, the opinions will suppress you.

7: Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.

8: Find more pleasure in intelligent dissent than in passive agreement, for if you value intelligence as you should, the former implies a more profound understanding than the latter.

9: Be scrupulously truthful, even when the truth is inconvenient, for it is more inconvenient when you try to conceal it.

10. Do not feel envious of the happiness of those who live in a fool’s paradise, for only a fool will think that it is happiness.

Wise words, then. Wise words now.

I know how dry it is to talk about politics! So, let’s enjoy a beautiful song from back then. 😉🤗🙏💖

Sources:

https://www.openculture.com/2021/11/bertrand-russells-ten-commandments-for-living-in-a-healthy-democracy.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertrand_Russell

A short foreword; It was an exhausting night! Our grandson, Ilias, spent last night with us. It may sound usual, but it was the first time he slept outside of the home and his mother’s arm. Our son Raphael wanted it because he wanted a breakthrough with that, and in the whole family, we were the only ones to take this challenging task!

Anyway, waking up hourly and trying to calm him was our changing duty, though I was scared of worse! We can be proud of this, and I am somehow awake to say some words more today. 😉🤓

Let’s make a final travel report from the last trip to Lanzarote because there may come a new one!😁

In the cities:

Here are some by Regina;

In between, we took a trip to the other side of the island to see more waves. Because where we lived, the sea was much calmer than the east part.

Here I have tried to make it live!

And we say cheers till the next trip! 🤗🙏💖

I love my solitude. Even when I lived along with my mother and brother Al, I was always alone. We were all three alone in our lives: my mother in her dreams, Al in his world, and me in the search for the meaning of my existence. Therefore, I always tried to avoid the mass. You can imagine then how hard it could be for me to participate in such an assembly. But sometimes it must be, and it should be done! Now let’s back to the story; (here is the first part.)

With my Tall Loving Friend!

As Dr Jung assy this, and I agree with it, there is no doubt that we all humans or (hu-wo-man!) carry the masculine and the feminine within us. It is inevitable and valuable at the same time because we can better understand the so-called opposite sex! But sometimes, it’s hard for some people, especially men, to accept that.

Last summer, we were invited to Regina’s sister’s sixtieth birthday. They live in Hagen, a city southwest of our province. That was lovely summer weather, and we were in the garden. Eating and drinking (boozing!), dancing, all the usual concepts. Later in the evening, a man, relatively tall, began to talk to me about the way he’d like to drink and his most beloved one: beer! I said; mine would be whisky and wine. He, named Mathias, was enthusiastic, and a long conversation ensued. Long story short, I noticed that as he drank more and more, he enjoyed our talk, but it wasn’t enjoyable anymore for me. I have tried to escape via dancing or running towards WC!

Anyway, it became late, and we left the party. I was happy to see that Mathias, my compulsive friend, was so drunk that he didn’t notice my departure.

Last weekend, as you might remember, I have mentioned that I had to go for a sixty anniversary, and that was my brother-in-law who had a birthday. You can guess who I met there, Mathias! Of course, I tried to ignore him or stay away from him as much as possible, but I failed because he kept staring at me ( like a lover!), signalling and even sending the birthday boy, my brother-in-law, to ask me what was wrong! I felt that I must talk to him, out of courtesy at least, and told him that I am sometimes not in the mood to talk. He accepted somehow, and I withdrew to my place. But it didn’t last half an hour before he came to me and asked if I’d mentioned last time I drink Jack Daniel’s most? He’d like to get it for me. With coke? He asked. I said; never! I drink it pure. 😉

Honestly, I had one or two glasses of beer, and I wanted to try to get some whiskey, but the party was in a restaurant, and as I expected, the host has had blocked all the expensive drinks, what else! Therefore, I told Mathias that I had already asked for that and they didn’t have it. He looked at me unbelievingly, and went away, and after a while, he came back with a glass of whisky in his hand, offering me.

He ignored my surprised face and said; here, it is for your whim! I thankfully took it, and I knew the price; I must go to his table with him and chat endlessly. There I had got the feeling that he is a Bisexual. He was married, you know, and his wife was also present. I know the strong anima side of me. Therefore, I had often encountered bisexual men, but this side of me is lesbian, as I might mention before. No interest in men! I had to disappoint them always. But his interest in me and his emotions, full of love and intimacy, got higher and hotter with every glass of beer! I don’t know if he was aware of his behaviour, or even my guess was correct? Her wife was standing beside me and was halfway exciting listening. However, he wanted to know what I was doing every day at home. I answered, doing different things, writing some stories now and then. He believed in my talent immediately and wanted to know how much I earned?! Nothing! I backed, and he was shocked totally.

To answer his “why?” I said that I am too bloody for making business. I make it a hobby, and it is good so. He didn’t believe it and said; listen! I am a businessman, and I know you are a talented person(?!). Please do it, try it to earn money! Anyway, long story short, again, I promised to try it, though I know I am not the one.

In any case, It was not so cheap for him because I had some more whiskey in the jars to drink, and there played some lovely music as I could make a short escape in the meantime. In the end, as we divided, I was happy, and he was somehow satisfied. It was definitely, an exhausted but amusing encounter. And as I can be sure, it will repeat itself in the future, thank goodness not so often, though!

As you have seen above, along with my notes, I add some quotes from Dr Jung to show the importance of awareness that we have both sides in us. Interestingly, it is easier for women to understand and accept it, but for men, it is hard doing this. Maybe because of this famous macho feeling!

In the end, I share this song from the time of my youth for freedom and peace for all mankind. Have a peaceful weekend, my friends.

The ankh or key of life is an ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol used in Egyptian art and writing to represent the word for “life” and, by extension, as a symbol of life itself. The ankh has a cross shape but a teardrop-shaped loop in place of a vertical upper bar. Although many hypotheses have been proposed, the symbol’s origins are unknown. It was used in writing as a triliteral sign, representing a sequence of three consonants, Ꜥ-n-ḫ. This sequence was found in several Egyptian words, including the words meaning “mirror”, “floral bouquet”, and “life”.

However, the most agreed-upon, possibly “official” meaning of the Ankh symbol is “life.” It is also translated as “breath of life” and can be referred to as the “key of life.” Like many other civilizations, the Egyptians had a very developed idea of an afterlife.

Here it is; A brilliant description of the almost tragic discovery by Marie Grillot, with heartfelt thanks.

An Ankh Sign from the Abode of the Eternity of Amenhotep II

via https://egyptophile.blogspot.com/

In February 1898, Victor Loret continued his excavations in the Valley of the Kings. While he has just discovered the tomb of Tuthmosis III: “he is interested in the second unexplored zone of the Valley. He practised several soundings in the cliff overhanging the tomb n° 12, but without results. He then put his workers to work at the foot of the rock under the plumb of the terrace. At the beginning of March, he acquired the certainty that he was approaching the goal.” (John Romer, The Valley of the Kings).

His workers then discovered in the rubble an ushabti: “in the name of Amenhotep II, the son of Thutmose III whose tomb he had just opened. As many objects belonging to Amenophis II had invaded the markets of Egypt and Europe, he could not expect to find the monument intact.

Certainly, the tomb has indeed been looted, but, despite this, the discovery will exceed anything he could imagine! This was not only the pharaoh’s eternal home, with his mummy, but it also contained a “hiding place”. In this KV 35 – which will also be called the “second hiding place” to dissociate it from the “first”, the DB320 – rested 17 royal mummies. They had been sheltered from burial rapists during the turbulent times that shook the city of Thebes around 1100 BC. (21st Dynasty).

Here were gathered an Areopagus of pharaohs, including Tuthmosis IV, Amenhotep III, Merenptah, Seti II, Siptah, Ramses IV, Ramses V, Ramses VI, and probably Setnakht. It also housed female mummies, including that of the “Young Lady (KV35YL), which is undoubtedly that of Nefertiti” (Marc Gabolde) and that of an “elder woman” who “could be the remains of Queen Tiyi”.

The funerary material delivered by this tomb is significant: accessories, clothing, food, jewellery, models, sculptures, statues, written documents, boats, etc. The floor of the burial chamber: “disappeared under a thick layer of broken objects, funerary statuettes in wood and alabaster, pottery, vases, garlands…”. Gaston Maspero’s story is just as uplifting. It confirms what he says: “The ground was hidden by a litter of debris, wooden statuettes of the king and various deities, ushabtis, crawling crosses, and a djed pillar of wood and blue earthenware, and a thousand other objects.”

These are more than: “two thousand pieces which removed from the monument, some were shattered into a thousand fragments; of many of them, only tiny pieces remained”.

In his highly documented study “Development of the burial assemblage of the Eighteenth dynasty Royal Tombs”, Nozomu Kawai lists the amulets that accompanied Pharaoh Amenhotep II: “22 earthenware ankh crosses, an earthenware was-sceptre, 100 earthenware fruit symbols, 19 earthenware serpent heads, 39 ankh crosses and 36 wooden Djed pillars. Ritual objects from the same tomb include 11 staffs earthenware with wedjat eyes, wooden boomerangs, ‘snake sticks’ and wooden axes called ‘nw’.”

This ankh cross in deep blue glazed earthenware is one of the most beautiful of those found in the hypogeum. Slender, elegant and fragile, with a very original “cutout” in the “branches”, it is 42 cm high, and its width is 21 cm.

It is referenced CG 24348 (JE 32491) and, in the “General Catalog of Egyptian Antiquities of the Cairo Museum – Excavations of the Valley of the Kings (1898-1899)”, Georges Daressy describes it as follows: “Sign of life in blue enamelled clay, broken in antiquity into nine pieces. The two pieces constituting the handle were in contact with fat which soaked them and made the enamel appear green. The section of the branches is rectangular or square. Both sides are decorated with darker lines because the enamel is thicker on these lines engraved under the glaze. There are two lines on the foot and at the ends of the branches. There is only one on the handle and a series of vertical lines in the middle of the transverse component. The enamel of beautiful colour, but poorly cooked, showing traces of adhesion, bubbles and cracks.”

Present from the earliest antiquity, the ankh is undoubtedly the most famous Sign of pharaonic Egypt. It is, in fact, the hieroglyphic Sign which signifies life, which makes it a “must-have” of the iconography of Egyptian antiquity.

The ankh is often called the cross of life or the ansate cross. It is found as an amulet, but it is just as present on the walls of tombs, temples, on the walls of sarcophagi, or even in statuary. Gods and Goddesses hold it in their hands or hold it out to the deceased to bring him back to life. In an article published in the BIFAO 11 of 1911, Gustave Jéquier specifies: “It is a divine attribute, an insignia that the Gods and Goddesses always hold in hand by the loop. Although direct descendant and successor of the gods, the king is not yet equal as long as he reigns over the earth. Thus, he is not entitled to wear the ankh and only wears this insignia in certain religious ceremonies. where he officiates as a God.”

Isabelle Franco indicates that: “the Texts of the Sarcophagi recall that life can be assimilated to Shou, the vital breath coming from the sun. By extension, all the gods, as instruments of creation, can give life-like Re”.

As for Jean-Pierre Corteggiani, in his dictionary “Ancient Egypt and its Gods”, he sheds light on this Sign: “The exact nature of the sign-ankh improperly called cross ansée key or cross of life. Because its shape of T surmounted by a loop allowed the Copts to reinterpret it as a form Egyptian cross of Christ in the first centuries of the Christian era, it has given rise to many hypotheses. Some refused to see a real object in it; others wanted to recognize the sandal’s straps, the buckle surrounding the ankle; others still understood it as a penis sheath. The essential element of the Sign seems to be the central knot that cannot be ignored in the oldest representations. And this brings it closer to the knot of Isis: it is probably the neckline and the frontal opening of ‘a garment closed by two ties tied on the chest.

Various interpretations have been issued: “The mystical tau representing the diffusion of the divine spirit, and others a key serving to regulate the floods of the Nile, a vase placed on an altar, a degeneration of the winged globe, a phallus” ( Gustave Jéquier), or, for still others, a mirror, a belt buckle, etc.

The ankh was part of the funerary material: it accompanied the deceased, providing him with protection in the afterlife; it also had to help him reborn.

She also often appears accompanied by the “was” sceptre and the “djed” pillar. Thus Christiane Desroches Noblecourt tells us: “The ankh and ouas signs are often associated. The dead pharaoh, but who is a candidate for rebirth, goes towards a deity, most of the time female, who makes him breathe, in his nose, the ankh and ouas signs which give him life, thus representing divine milk.

While being well known and recognized, the “ankh” sign, as we see, still raises many questions…

We leave the concluding words to Gustave Jéquier: “What could be the primitive meaning of this kind of talisman? We have seen that, held in hand by gods and deified kings, it symbolizes the divine life, and that on the other hand, if simple individuals do not have the right to wear it, they have it represented in the middle of their funerary furniture. In the sarcophagi, it is painted, in principle, at the feet of the dead. With the unambiguous indication ‘on the ground, under the feet’. Elsewhere, we find the expression (…) “the ankh of the two lands” as if it were an object related to the cult of the chthonic (or funerary?) deities, or instead to the protection of Earth. The purpose of the object would therefore have been, initially, to protect things, then people, and finally would have become the emblem of those who enjoy perfect protection, the gods and, to a certain extent, the dead. : The single idea must have evolved at a particular time in two different directions, and depending on whether it was a question of the super-terrestrial life of the gods or the survival of souls, the use of the object itself became absolutely different, the gods alone having the right to hold it in their hands. In religious language, these two meanings always remained very distinct. In contrast, in ordinary language, the meaning of the word ankh was considerably simplified and applied to life in general, life on Earth, and life after death. And this meaning is perhaps still the one that comes closest to the primordial idea of the talisman (ankh), which was to guarantee life to whoever had it in his possession.

Marie Grillot

Sources:

Dictionary of Egyptian Mythology, Isabelle Franco, Pygmalion 1999
Ancient Egypt and its gods – Illustrated dictionary, Jean-Pierre Corteggiani, Fayard 2007
Ruins and Landscapes of Egypt, Gaston Maspero, 1910
The complete Valley of the kings, Nicholas Reeves, Richard H. Wilkinson, The American University in Cairo Press, 2002
History of the Valley of the Kings, John Romer, Vernal – Philippe Lebaud, 1991 “General Catalog of Egyptian Antiquities in the Cairo Museum N° 24001-24990 – Excavations of the Valley of the Kings (1898-1899)“, Fasc. 1”, Georges Daressy, 1902

“ The ânkh and shen talismans ”, Gustave Jéquier, BIFAO 11 (1911), p. 121-143

“Development of the burial assemblage of the Eighteenth dynasty Royal Tombs” , Nozomu Kawai

Treasures of Ancient Egypt at Cairo Museum, National Geographic

Once, I will never forget; my brother Al ran away after only five or six months from military service, which was inevitably for every young man those days. He came home to my surprise, sat in the room and let the music play (I think that was Beatles Abbey Road. I asked him what now? It is not my world, he said. I wondered what is then yours, can you explain? He answered; a world in which all the people are mad, that is my world!

Now let’s have a look at the Madman by Kahlil Gibran. It seems that if someone just begins to think more profound on the surface, they will be called mad or may have to be mad!

The Madman, His Parables and Poems is a book written by Kahlil Gibran, published in the United States by Alfred A. Knopf in 1918, with illustrations reproduced from original drawings by the author. It was Gibran’s first book in English, marking the beginning of the second phase of Gibran’s career. May Ziadeh, with whom Gibran had been corresponding since 1912, reviewed it in Al-Hilal, a magazine in Egypt. Wikipedia

The Crazy

You ask me how I became a madman. It happened thus: One day, long before many gods were born, I woke from a deep sleep and found all my masks were stolen—the seven masks I have fashioned and worn in seven lives—I ran maskless through the crowded streets shouting, “Thieves, thieves, the cursed thieves.”

Men and women laughed at me, and some ran to their houses in fear of me.

And when I reached the marketplace, a youth standing on a house-top cried, “He is a madman.” I looked up to behold him; the sun kissed my own naked face for the first time. For the first time, the sun kissed my own bare face, and my soul was inflamed with love for the sun, and I wanted my masks no more. And as if in a trance, I cried, “Blessed, blessed are the thieves who stole my masks.”

Thus I became a madman.

And I found both: freedom and safety, in my madness; the freedom of loneliness, the safety of incomprehension, because those who understand us enslave something inside us.
But let me not be too proud of my safety. Even a thief, imprisoned, is safe from another thief.

From the book Khalil Gibran: The Madman

Here is a small part of this “mad” book!;

The Fox

A fox looked at his shadow at sunrise and said; I will have a camel for lunch today. And all morning, he went about looking for camels. But at noon, he saw his shadow again- and he said, a mouse will do!

Peace, Peace, and Peace! 🙏💖🤗🌹💖🙏

As you might remember, I mentioned in my last post that I had to participate in my brother in law’s birthday party. It may sound like a usual act somehow. But for me, it will never be!

Actually, I want to tell you about an exciting encounter with a man I met only twice at their parties. Still, first I have to tell you something about my situation in my wife’s family: You know, my wife’s family is working class, and I like them very much. But they are very conservative and accordingly very sceptical about foreigners, and with this, you could imagine how difficult it could be for me to get my approval.

The family is significant in number (though a few of them passed away lately); my wife, Regina, had ten siblings (five sisters and five brothers). I even heard that my mother-in-law had two miscarriages to that, making it thirteen. (Maybe the number was inappropriate!) the father liked to drink a lot, was brutal to the family members, and the mother had nothing to say that much. When I got to know Regina, I realized that she was a wild, free-thinking person, and that’s why I began a relationship with her. And when I got to know her family, I was amazed at the different ways of thinking between her and the rest. The reason might have been that she was the only child who didn’t grow up with her parents but with a foster family. The father-in-law didn’t drink to much and was a socialist! I had got no problem with the foster parents and was welcomed heartily. The forest mother was a good-hearted Christ, and the foster father was an open-hearted man to every kind of person.

Although when Regina had introduced me to the family, the father wasn’t as bad as he used to be. He drank anymore and was the only one who accepted me as I was and liked me at once. But winning the hearts of the siblings was a masterpiece. In my life, I had to challenge often to persuade people, even the very right-wing beliefs, and won. But it is another story!

I don’t have that much contact with them, only if there are ceremonies or on Christmas or whatever we might meet. Of course, I’m happy about that because I hardly have anything in common with them. When we meet, I always want to talk about philosophy or psychology, God and the world, or generally about books I’ve newly read thereabout, but they are all interested in something else: the women about the neighbourhood’s way of life and the men about house construction and its facilities. Therefore, when I get to such meetings, I try to hide and seek somehow. A little yes here, a little OK there, and constantly changing places! I know how to do this. I mentioned it before in my memories that I got used to doing something unusual in societies, those days in Iran and here in Germany.

However, after many years, they slowly but surely accept me as a family member. Above all, Regina’s love and trust in me overwhelmed everyone. But now, as they noticed that I am an Alien, and somehow different, not only to them but also to all other foreigners, they accepted my knowledge (despite being very proud) and want more from me! I know that I’m a nice guy, and no one can resist when I start being nice! And because I rarely meet my good new family, I have no inhibition about being nice, though some people seem to misunderstand it. That is the story about this particular encounter;

To be continued!

Sorry, as I am writing, I notice that it is a longer story than I have accepted; therefore, let’s split it in two! 😁😉🙏💖

Honestly, I intended to make another post about this genius woman some months ago, but I haven’t had the chance. And about some weeks ago, I saw an excellent post by Symbol Reader, who wrote a Marvelous article on Kahlo, Frida Kahlo’s Symbolism of Life, and I say that it is a highly recommended read.

And now, under the motto: what to do now? I did decide to prize this fascinating artist with some pics in B&W with a few words about her. Although I’m doing this post in between a lot of stress (two full days of work and caring for grandkids, because my son and daughter-in-law and my wife all have to work every day!) Therefore, please forgive me if any mistake happens.

“Kahlo” redirects here. For the surname, see Kahlo (surname).

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Kahlo and the second or maternal family name is Calderón. Born to a German father and a mestiza mother, Kahlo spent most of her childhood and adult life at La Casa Azul, her family home in Coyoacán – now publicly accessible as the Frida Kahlo Museum. Although she was disabled by polio as a child, Kahlo had been a promising student headed for medical school until she suffered a bus accident at the age of 18, which caused her lifelong pain and medical problems. During her recovery, she returned to her childhood interest in art with the idea of becoming an artist. Wikipedia

Let’s have some information about her:

Back in Mexico City, Kahlo and Rivera moved into a new house in the wealthy neighbourhood of San Ángel. Commissioned from Le Corbusier‘s student Juan O’Gorman, it consisted of two sections joined by a bridge; Kahlo’s was painted blue and Rivera’s pink and white. The bohemian residence became an important meeting place for artists and political activists from Mexico and abroad.

She was again experiencing health problems – undergoing an appendectomy, two abortions, and the amputation of gangrenous toes – and her marriage to Rivera had become strained. He was not happy to be back in Mexico and blamed Kahlo for their return. While he had been unfaithful to her before, he now embarked on an affair with her younger sister Cristina, which deeply hurt Kahlo’s feelings. After discovering it in early 1935, she moved to an apartment in central Mexico City and considered divorcing him. She also had an affair of her own with American artist Isamu Noguchi.

Kahlo reconciled with Rivera and Cristina later in 1935 and moved back to San Ángel. She became a loving aunt to Cristina’s children, Isolda and Antonio. Despite the reconciliation, both Rivera and Kahlo continued their infidelities. She also resumed her political activities in 1936, joining the Fourth International and becoming a founding member of a solidarity committee to provide aid to the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War. She and Rivera successfully petitioned the Mexican government to grant asylum to former Soviet leader Leon Trotsky. They offered La Casa Azul for him and his wife Natalia Sedova as a resident. The couple lived there from January 1937 until April 1939, with Kahlo and Trotsky becoming good friends and having a brief affair.

Frida was totally an LGBTQ icon! As described by the late singer, her relationship with singer Chavela Vargas was so beautiful. But unfortunately, it wasn’t until her death that others began to recognize her as a queer icon. Here.

In 1938, the Rivera Kahlo couple accommodated André Breton, leader of the surrealist movement, in their home. He and his wife, Jacqueline Lamba, escaped the Nazi occupation of France. Lamba and Kahlo were very close friends, and there are rumours that they were also lovers.

She was and still will be a fantastic artist, full of life, despite her short life.

Sources;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frida_Kahlo

https://www.messynessychic.com/2015/09/01/15-fabulous-frida-kahlo-moments-in-rarely-seen-photographs/

Now I must get into clothes and run (or drive!) to my brother-in-law’s sixtieth birthday southwest of our province. Have a lovely and peaceful weekend, friends. 😜🙏🙏💖💖😘😘

Horus, the falcon-headed god, is a familiar ancient Egyptian god. He has become one of Egypt’s most commonly used symbols, seen on Egyptian aeroplanes and on hotels and restaurants throughout the land.

Horus is the son of Osiris and Isis, the divine child of the holy family triad. He is one of many gods associated with the falcon. His name means “he who is above” and “he who is distant”. The falcon had been worshipped from the earliest times as a cosmic deity whose body represents the heavens and whose eyes represent the sun and the moon. Horus is depicted as a falcon wearing a crown with a cobra or the Double Crown of Egypt. The hooded cobra (uraeus), which the gods and pharaohs wore on their foreheads, symbolizes light and royalty. It is there to protect the person from harm. via

And here is a stunning modern version of Goddess Isis.

What did the falcon represent in ancient Egypt?

The living king of Egypt was identified as an earthly Horus, and from the late Predynastic Period (c. 3100 BCE), the king bore a memorable royal “Horus name.” As the sacred animal of Horus, the falcon came to symbolize divine kingship, as the king was the earthly representation of Horus. Here.

Here, we read an excellent description of this magnificent divine work of god’s image. By Marie Grillot 🙏💖🙏

In Tutankhamun’s Treasury, a Pectoral in the Image of the Solar Falcon.

via https://egyptophile.blogspot.com/

In bright and shimmering polychromy, the falcon, represented in full flight, spreads its wings. Curved upwards, they thus offer, in an elegant symmetry, perfect protection for the deceased.

The cloisonné technique – which here achieves a degree of excellence – enabled the 18th dynasty goldsmith who made this incredible pectoral to combine an enchantment of semi-precious stones, perfectly rendering the texture and composition of the plumage. Gold, lapis lazuli, turquoise, carnelian, or even light blue glass realistically reproduce the location of the primary and secondary flight feathers and the contour feathers and those of the tail. “It has partitions which are so tightly fitted with blue and red glass that it has been suggested that they represent the first example of true enamelling from Egypt”, analyzes Carol Andrews in “Ancient Egyptian Jewelry”.

The falcon’s head, seen in profile, is in solid gold. The hooked beak, the nape of the neck and the decorative motif on the cheek are underlined by inlays of dark glass paste. The round eye, embellished with a drip edge, is in obsidian.

“A large solar disk of carnelian, surrounded by a ring of gold, surmounts the head of the raptor, which therefore appears, by virtue of this attribute, as the symbol of the composite solar deity Re-Horakhty”. The legs of the falcon, entirely in gold, are terminated by talons that hold the shen rings, symbols of eternity, and the emblems of ankh life, guaranteeing the deceased sovereign, eternal life in the Beyond. The reverse of the jewel, entirely in gold, is decorated with delicate carvings that reproduce the place’s decor. The pendant was no doubt hung around the neck using a cord which was threaded through the four eyelets on the reverse,” specifies Silvia Einaudi in “The wonders of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo”.

In his book “Tutankhamun, life, death and discovery of a pharaoh”, Nicholas Reeves observes that: “Tutankhamun was buried with many more jewels and amulets than Carter discovered on the mummy, and Judging by ancient inscriptions cataloguing the contents of the jewellery boxes, the tomb robbers seized many of the most valuable pieces. By Carter’s estimate, at least sixty per cent of the finest ‘unattached’ jewellery was gone. Those that remained – more than two hundred, including twenty precious metal pectoral elements and five counterweights – did however not insignificantly expand, both in quality and quantity, the range of antique jewellery known at the time”.

This rigid pectoral, with a maximum height of 11.70 cm and a maximum width of 12.60 cm, was found in the “treasure room”. This room was officially opened on February 17, 1923, almost three months after discovering the tomb by Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter.

It was placed in a delightful casket of ivory and ebony. On its domed lid was an inscription that Howard Carter had difficulty interpreting. He consulted, in August 1927, Alan J. Gardiner, who felt that it might be read as: “Jewels of gold for the procession made in the bed-chamber (i.e. the burial chamber) of Neb- Kheperou-Rê”… The casket did indeed contain numerous adornments of the king, for which Alfred Lucas considered that: “There was sufficient evidence to show that the jewels were originally tied in linen and sealed”.

Placed on the ground, in front and to the left of the gilded wooden naos protected by the four goddesses, it is easily identifiable in Harry Burton’s photos. Numbered “267” by Howard Carter, the various jewels inside received this number followed by a letter. Thus, this pectoral was referenced Carter 267-m(1).

It was then registered in the Cairo Museum Entry Journal, and its new Grand Egyptian Museum listing is GEM 31969.

It seems important to add two pieces of information. Carol Andrews indeed reports that it “shows signs of wear”, indicating that the young king wore it. Was this one of the symbols of his coronation? On the other hand, a very similar pectoral (256uuu-1) was found on the royal mummy, hanging on a heavy gold chain fitted with a heart-shaped counterweight. It is almost identical in construction, it undoubtedly comes from the same workshop, and the falcon is there, represented from the front and without the “ankh” signs…

Marie Grillot

Sources:

The path to Tutankhamun https://archive.org/stream/HowardCarterThePathToTutankhamunBySam/Howard+Carter+The+Path+to+Tutankhamun+By+Sam_djvu.txt

The Griffith Institute – Tutankhamun: Anatomy of an Excavation – The Howard Carter Archives – Photographs by Harry Burton – © Copyright Griffith Institute, 2000-2004 http://www.griffith.ox.ac.uk/gri/carter/267m(1).html

Tutankhamun and his time, Petit Palais, Paris, February-July 17, 1967, Catalog by Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt, Ministry of State for Cultural Affairs

Life and Death of a Pharaoh, Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt, Hachette, 1963

Tutankhamun, life, death and discovery of a pharaoh, Nicholas Reeves, Editions Errance

Tutankhamun: his tomb and its treasures, IES Edwards, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1977

Tutankhamun, Jean Capart, 1923 http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k5611389t/f60.texte

Ancient Egyptian Jewelry, Carol Andrews, Harry N. Abrams, INC., Publishers, 1991

Treasures of Egypt – The Wonders of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, Francesco Tiradritti

Discover Tutankhamun, Zahi Hawass, Editions du Rocher, 2015

Tutankhamun, Marc Gabolde, Pygmalion, 2015

Catalog of the exhibition “Tutankhamun, treasures of the golden pharaoh”, Zahi Hawass, IMG Melcher Media, 2018

(An especial description here.)